Druid Wildshape focused build help

[qwerty1971]

Never played a druid before. Want to try one but I want him/her to be a wildshape focused druid and forego an animal companion (done that with Hunter and ranger). So how should I build this druid? Special archetype? Certain Feats? Thanks in advance.

[Paulicus]

Druids can choose to gain a cleric domain instead of an animal companion in Pathfinder, though they're restricted to a rather small list of domains/subdomains. Some archetypes give access to other domains, though.

Since you probably wouldn't be casting in combat, look for a domain with useful buffs you might use, especially long-duration ones, or utility spells you wouldn't otherwise get. Some domains have useful granted powers, too. Growth subdomain is popular for non-druids, but you already have a way to change your size.

[Captain Zoom]

I've done a couple of wild-shape focused druids. Both times they were Animal Shaman archetypes. Both times I took one level in Ranger at Level 7 in order to take advantage of Favored Enemy and the Shapeshifting Hunter feat.

For my Lion Shaman, I was human, took the Nobility Domain, and took the following feats:

1-Combat Casting, Uncanny Concentration
3-Power Attack
5-Natural Spell
7-Shapeshifting Hunter
9-Leadership (from Nobility Domain), Planar Wildshape
10-Dodge
11-Divine Interference
13-Wild Speech
14-Lunge
15-Vital Strike
17-Improved Vital Strike
18-Iron Will
19-Greater Vital Strike

For my Serpent Shaman, I was a dwarf, took the Flotsam Domain, and took these feats:

1-Armor Proficiency (Heavy)
3-Power Attack
5-Natural Spell
7-Shapeshifting Hunter
9-Planar Wild Shape
10-Stealthy
11-Vital Strike
13-Improved Natural Attack (Bite)
14-Strike Back
15-Improved Vital Strike

Generally, once I reach a high enough level, I tended to stay in animal form all day. Communication can be a challenge, though if your GM allows custom magic items you can probably get a ring or something that lets you communicate.

Both times I went straight for Armor with the Wild enchantment. Expensive, but worth every gold piece.

There are several wild shape oriented feats which I never seem to take, like Powerful Shape, Aspect of the Beast, Quick Wild Shape, and Shaping Focus.

Hope this helps some.

I think you'll find a wild shape focused build both fun and powerful.

[BadBird]

Be a Storm Druid that shifts into an elemental (humanoid shape, and bonus: you can talk). Take a single level of Unchained Monk, and pick up Dragon Style/Ferocity. Cast Greater Magic Fang and Strong Jaw on your Elemental 'fists', and wear a Monk's Robe. Fly around with perfect maneuverability, beating foes (literally) into the ground from above.

Also: take the weather domain and pick up the feat Domain Strike: Storm Burst. Pick up Rime Spell and Magical Lineage: Frostbite. As battle begins, prime yourself with Rime Frostbite. When you punch something you inflict an extra packet of non-lethal damage that carries both entangled and fatigued, and once per round you can throw an additional packet of non-lethal that carries a -2ab.

Another interesting option with Elemental form is to use a weapon - like an earth elemental with a big warclub or even an air elemental using a scimitar and dervish dance. However that's in the 'consult with GM' area. While according to Pathfinder rules there's nothing stopping a Druid from putting down his weapon a moment, turning into a vaguely humanoid elemental, and then picking it up, some GM's may not be on board with that for whatever reason. Which is a pity, because turning into a giant howling rock-man with a giant rock-hammer and crushing the world just... feels right.

[qwerty1971]

many thanks zoom

[TherealWizardfrog]

Forgoing a pet is denying a third of the druids power.

Druids are more a sum of their parts, its how they can be considered tier 1 despite having such a weak spell list and weak summon monster list.

That being said, you asked for some feats based on wild shape. The best feats for wild shape are:

Planar wild shape, Powerful Shape, Natural Spell

Power attack and all those other feats range from nice to okay. A druid pouncing is throwing out so many attacks he doesnt really care about the meager +2/4/6 etc. power attack is giving. A druid can't really afford the to hit penalty considering he is getting size penalties and only has 3/4th bab. Strong jaw and buffs plus the massive strength bonuses from wildshape give you more than enough damage to work with. Giving up the pet hurts for a bit in this department. Even though you are going melee, I would still recommend following a summoning feat line, it doesn't require high DCs and can really increase your combat effectiveness and versatility.

Alternatively, if you want to play as more of a switch hitter, going for a good stat spread race like oread/dual talent human/tiefling/ aasimar can actually let you squeeze in a great wisdom score without hurting your physicals to much. This will make you mad as heck, and you should definately not dip any other classes when going this style, but it means you can take only the best wildshape feats and hoard the vastly superior caster feats.

One possible build is a combat focused:
Human (Heart of the fields)
Saurian Shaman/Rage domain
pump strength, make sure to have 15 con and 14 wisdom
1 Blood Conduit Bloodrager 1 (Raging vitality, B: Extra Rage Rounds, B:Improved X)
2 Druid 1
3 Druid 2 (Power Attack)
4 Druid 3
5 Druid 4 (Mad magic)
6 Druid 5
7 Druid 6 (Natural Spell)
8 Druid 7
9 Druid 8 (Planar Wildshape)
10 Druid 9 (Vital Strike)
11 Druid 10 (Powerful Wildshape)
12 Druid 11

I know I said im not a fan of power attack, but rage easily makes up for it. You can standard action totem summon some dino meatshields in fights, then rage and pounce as an allosaurus. For prepared spells focus on buffs, if you go higher levels grab some summoning goodies or some more of the vital strike line. For rage powers I like superstition, or lesser fiend to add gore attacks to a pouncing form (its like haste!).

[Taenia]

What did you want to accomplish with wild shape? I see wild shapers as having several options:

Damage - Melee beatstick role augmented by wild shape and spells, in this case finding a particular form, like dire tiger and building specifically to its capabilities is useful, adding effects like air walk, barkskin, armor built for the form and using spells like frostbite/produce flame to increase damage capability. Another option is to go with the big single attack and buff it combined with vital strike/strong jaw.

Maneuver - Are you going to be more focused on maneuvers like a tripping wolf or stegosaurus or a grapple build focused on large/huge animals with grab? In this case focusing on one or two forms you can outfit then grab gear that supports your maneuver. One of my favorite grapple druid builds has a +32 to grapple at level 8 and can grab huge creatures.

Flexibility - Do you want to use wild shape to deal with whatever situation comes up? In this case items/abilities that work in all forms are more useful. Wild Full Plate + Heavy Armor Prof, Dirty Fighting, Ioun Stone that adds to CMB/CMD, GMF to all natural attacks. In this case you simply pick a form appropriate to the environment and opponents rather than specializing.

Tank - In this case you want to emphasize Dex/Reach. I recommend a dex based focus with either a small investment in str or an agile AoMF and focus on elemental forms. Fire/Air can be really good especially at the higher levels when you can cover a wide area with reach or reach weapons, have a decent dex, weapon finesse dirty fighting and combat reflexes plus the dex/natural armor and a dip into monk for feats and AC bonuses can lead to a great ac, decent damage, area control build.

In each case an Animal Companion can help but a domain can often provide some interesting bonus abilities. Take Blight Druids with the Darkness domain and get Blindfight for free plus deeper darkness + echolocation combo. Crocodile domain can get you sneak attack while Wolf will get you improved trip.